# Who are our current "Abe Vigodas"? (people you might be surprised to learn are still alive) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [September 7, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985 "2020-09-07T01:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 45
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/882 "2025-04-16T07:47:37Z")
I remember him as a DJ for AM radio shows in LA. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/883 "2025-04-16T08:51:16Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > And the opposite… What is the most recent show where at least one of the main characters have died. Heck, what’s the most recent show where _all_ of the main castmembers have died? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/884 "2025-04-16T08:55:30Z")
_The Golden Girls_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/885 "2025-04-16T11:05:53Z")
Hmm. I’m not sure if _Murder She Wrote_ counts. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/886 "2025-04-16T12:55:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I don’t recall ever watching any game shows he hosted, but his name was so unusual I’ve always remembered it. He has died now. > > [Wink Martindale Dead: Host of 'Tic-Tac-Dough' and 'Gambit' Was 91](https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/wink-martindale-dead-tic-tac-dough-gambit-1236370318/) We used to watch Tic Tack Dough in re-runs on USA. High Rollers, too. He was adequate, not great, to be honest. He had that sheen and fakeness that hosts had, none of the real personality that you see with Bob Barker, Alex Trebek, or Pat Sajak. Or Regis when he hosted Millionaire. He was sort slick and had a presenting style that felt old fashioned even in the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/887 "2025-04-16T14:21:56Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Hmm. I’m not sure if _Murder She Wrote_ counts. There would be a touch of irony in that, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/888 "2025-04-16T14:29:05Z")
Fidel Castro died back in 2016, but younger brother Raúl is still alive at age 93. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/889 "2025-04-16T16:11:15Z")
I just saw an online article saying The Who have fired Zak Starkey as their drummer. I was surprised to learn that Starkey has been their drummer for twenty-nine years, which is more than twice as long as Keith Moon was the band’s drummer and almost three times as long as Kenney Jones was. I was even more surprised to learn that The Who was still a band. I thought they quit back around 1990. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/890 "2025-04-16T16:25:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was even more surprised to learn that The Who was still a band. I thought they quit back around 1990. Well, they did ‘officially’ break up in 1983, then got back together a few times over the next decade and a half for shows and tours. They ‘officially’ became a band again around 1999, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/891 "2025-04-16T16:42:50Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > They ‘officially’ became a band again around 1999, IIRC. 1. (I looked this up after seeing the article.) I knew they had done a couple of reunion shows for events like Live Aid or the Concert for New York City but I hadn’t realized they had gotten back together as a regular thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/892 "2025-04-16T17:53:56Z")
Not sure if this has come up in this thread before. Yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball and I realized that Jackie’s widow Rachel Robinson is still alive at 102. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/893 "2025-04-16T22:56:12Z")
This reminds me of something I recently learned: There is only one still-living person who played Major League Baseball during the 1940s, a pitcher named [Bobby Shantz](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shantbo01.shtml) who is currently 99 years and 202 days old. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/894 "2025-04-17T05:45:41Z")
Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945. One of the people who witnessed this event was Master Sergeant Luciano “Louis” Graziano. (He was in a construction unit which had prepared the building that was the site of the surrender.) Graziano is apparently still alive at the age of 102. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/895 "2025-04-17T11:35:46Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Not an Abe Vigoda because he’s so well known, but if you did not see 98 year old Dick Van Dyke at the Emmy’s the other day, you should > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’ll never forget Shatner introducing the cast and saying, “Here is…the gentleman who plays Chekov…” when he couldn’t remember Koenig’s name. You know, plenty of folks in this thread have mentioned Dick Van Dyke and William Shatner. But, I ask: _how about Antoinette Bower, who got killed by both of ‘em?_ Oh, sure, she did episodes of MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE and HOGAN’S HEROES in between, and otherwise showed up all over the place over the decades. But my point is, sure as those ninetysomethings are still up and around, so too does she seem to be. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/896 "2025-04-17T14:27:28Z")
Speaking of Hogan’s Heroes, Nina Talbot still keeps showing up for breakfast at age 94. (And as has happened before, now that I’ve mentioned her, we can expect to see her obituary in a matter of days) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/897 "2025-04-17T14:47:26Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Jackie’s widow Rachel Robinson is still alive at 102. Damn! That’s awesome! Not quite as impressive, but anybody remember John Stossel? He was the whiny guy who would often do a segment on the “Hugh Downs/Barbara Walters” version of 20/20. Anyway, John is 78. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/898 "2025-04-18T12:16:45Z")
Anne Frank’s step-sister is alive at 95. Anne’s father remarried after the death of Anne, her sister, and her mother. The woman he married had a daughter. She (Eva Schloss) is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![williamweigand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b3f665/32.png) [@williamweigand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williamweigand)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/899 "2025-04-18T13:21:18Z")
Nancy Kwan was the guest on The Daily Show last night. I’d have thought she died long ago. She looked great! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/900 "2025-04-18T14:20:08Z")
> [@williamweigand](#): > > Nancy Kwan Apparently she is a distant cousin to Kevin Kwan, the author of the _Crazy Rich Asians_ book. Too bad that she seems to have stopped acting in 2016. Would have been great if she was in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/901 "2025-04-18T15:55:38Z")
All you have to do is rub ground-up pearls into your face for fifty years [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MGi1u-hrJCk/hqdefault.jpg "Nancy Kwan for PEARL CREAM commercial (1990)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGi1u-hrJCk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985.md?page=44) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985.md?page=46)